Original scientific paper
Nutritional and Pharmacologic Support in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Renata Dobrila Dintinjana
Tina Guina
Željko Krznarić
Abstract
The aim of our study was to assess whether the influence of nutritional support, consisting of counseling, enteral liquids
support and pharmacologic support, can slow down weight loss and whether the change in weight has the impact
on the performance status in our patients. In our study 44 patients with pancreatic cancer were included – 26 males
(mean age 69 years 2.4 years) and 18 females (mean age 63 3.2 years). Metastatic disease was found in 21 patients, 15
patients had liver metastasis. Locally advanced disease was found in 24 patients and metastatic and locally advanced
disease in 17 patients. Surgery was performed in 34 patients. Forty four (100%) patients underwent nutritional counseling,
33 of them (75%) took supplemental enteral feeding and 44 (100%) took megestrol acetate 400 mg per a day. The patients
were followed up during 8 weeks during 5 visits. At first visit we took initial nutritional status of patients. Appetite
loss, weight gain and Karnofsky performance status were monitored at every visit. All patients were treated with gemcitabin
for a 7 week period. Results: NTS score at initial visit in 44 patients (100%) was 5. Using nutritional counseling,
enteral food substitution and pharmacological support, weight gain was observed in 61.1% patients and appetite improved.
Average KPS mostly improved after first month of therapy while after two months was again at the basal level.
With nutritional counseling, supplemental feeding and pharmacologic support weight loss in our patients slowed down
and appetite improved. Despite of that, Karnofsky Performance Status didn’t change significantly, reflecting the impact
of the disease itself and chemotherapy procedures to the patient’s condition. We can conclude that nutritional and pharmacological
support can temporarily stop weight loss and improve appetite, social life and quality of life in those groups
of patients but have no implications on patients KPS and course of their disease.
Keywords
pancreatic cancer; nutritional support; pharmacologic support
Hrčak ID:
27228
URI
Publication date:
7.7.2008.
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